I’m in a bit of an odd mindset ahead of tomorrow evening’s match against Roscommon, for the simple fact that I’m not going to be there. Nor have I any hope of following the game from a distance either.
Lookit, it’s not the first Championship match involving us that I’ve missed in recent years. Doubtless it won’t be the last one either. This one is different, though, because I’m at a family wedding tomorrow so the logistics there will militate against my keeping detailed tabs on the game. Doing a match report for the blog on it afterwards is likewise out of the question.
But fear not. When I mentioned my conundrum here on the blog some weeks ago, this led to a conversation which has ended up in Cian Mortimer kindly agreeing to step into the breach. So he’s going to do the match report for the blog tomorrow evening without any involvement at all on my part.
Those of you who read Cian’s first piece for the blog will know that he’s a young man with a talent for writing but also is someone who has quite a bit on his plate – specifically the Leaving Cert – at the minute. Our own household is in the same boat exam-wise this year so I can certainly appreciate what a high-pressure time this is.
Which makes it all the more admirable that he’s willing to take time out to plug a significant gap for me on the blog tomorrow evening. So there will be a match report – replete with the usual Man of the Match poll, though there won’t be any post-match audio – and, for once, I won’t have any hand, act or part in its creation.
I’ll still be knocking around early doors tomorrow so I’ll post a quick game day piece then. I’m making no promises, though, about Sunday match reports but Rob and the lads will, of course, have the match-day podcast episode online on Sunday so it’ll be normal service in that regard.
There’s action in the meantime, lest we forget, as the Minors take on Roscommon this evening in Round 2 of the Connacht Championship. That match throws in at James Stephens Park, Ballina, at 7.30pm and details of the team we’ve named for that one are here.
While we’re on the topic of team announcements, the side to face Roscommon in the U20 Development League at MacHale Park tomorrow (throw-in 3pm) has been named (details here) and so too has the team to play Leitrim in the Connacht JFC semi-final at MacHale Park at 4.30pm tomorrow (details here).
Best of luck to all four Mayo teams in action this weekend. I know you’ll also join me in wishing all the best too to Cian on his match reporting debut here on the blog. It’s time to give youth its head in that department and I know that he’ll do just fine. Up Mayo.
Don’t forget the Mayo minors are playing in Ballina this evening in James Stephens Park all support greatly appreciated
I did specifically mention that, Backdoorsam! Gave a link to the team named for it and all.
You did indeed Willie Joe I obviously need to go to Specsavers
Not good enough WJ! Been slogging away all league and then when the white heat of championship battle comes around you go missing!
Looking forward to this one, Saturday evening and all. I hope I’m not wrong but I expect to open up Roscommon and win handy enough after a tough opening 20 minutes.
What odds a Mayo hat-trick of wins?
WJ – Don’t forget you can relax with a pint and watch it on Sky Sports (being shown live).
One thing that definitely has changed from this time last May is the condition of the pitch in McHale Park,…Superb surface now for all 3 game’s tommorow… not something that could be said this time last year… A very good Spring weather wise, has undoubtedly helped, and No FBD match’s played in January of this year…Not that McHale Park, escaped some horrendous weather for evening match’s , especially versus Roscommon and Galway in the league, but it’s looking a treat right now…Earlier in the year, there was a debate on this Blog about total resurfacing the Pitch, at enormous cost, if the figures mentioned were anything to go by… The Rossies are well used to playing on a prestine surface, Dr Hyde Park being one of the best playing surface’s in Ireland.. and on a bigger pitch.., But a good surface is good for attacking football…. So hopefully good for Mayo, and hopefully not the last time this year the Castlebar venue will see Senior Championship Football….If all goes well, we might have a Super Eight’s home Match in Castlebar, (and who knows, it could? also host a neutral Match, for Mayo as well). No only joking, that’s a privilege just for the Dub’s , God help them, they need all the help that they can get!…. But it could easily hold a qualifer or two, for those trying to make the Super Eight’s, knocked out of their Provincial Championship!… Just after, wishing one of Mayo’s starting 15 the best of luck tomorrow, out like myself, voting…No idea,if we voted the same or not… But tommorow, we are definitely on the same side… Máigh Eo, About!
Go neiri le foireann Mhuigheo amarach sna cluifi uilig. Best of luck to Cian and to your own son/daughter WJoe and indeed to all students sitting National examinations in the next week or so. Mile buiochas WJ for organising a sub while you enjoying a family wedding. Bain sult as an bainneas amarach. Bi ag ol nach na be olta!
Mhuigheo abu
What sort of an attendance are they excepting for tomorrow….in the region of 20k ?All the best to the three Mayo teams playing tomorrow.
Apologies as this is off topic, but does any1 know if the albany terrace is accessible from the albany “end” tommorow?, or do you have to go in the usual bacon factory entrance?.
15k I’m hearing . Very little interest in this game , badly promoted once again IMO .
Jesus Sean
Come on, cheer up. Three matches tomorrow. Summer weather. Mayo going places.
Let’s get going.
Can’t wait.
Don’t get me wrong I cant wait for the game , absolutely live for this . I just can never fathom the gaa supporter in the way they a lot of them have no sense of dedication. McHale park should be bursting through with people tomorrow , how can you get 100k people looking for all Ireland tickets yet only 13-16 k will show up tomorrow , it beggars belief imho.
Good point Sean. I think we will have more there and I hear Rossies are travelling with hope. Its a big game for us and it could be a bannana skin.
Let’s get going.
Can’t see attendance being 15000.
I wouild be certain it will be higher.
We got 10000 for the Cavan game in Feb.
I intend heading from Dublin.
I reckon well over 20000
Someone needs to tell David Brady to shut up. Saying on Matt cooper this evening mayo need to beat Roscommon by 12 – 15 points.
I can never fathom some of the nonsense that Brady Spouts! Pure nonsense!
The minors have Roscommon beat already. It’s turned into a rout.
Theres an annihilation taking place in the minor match. Mayo are racking up some score.
I think there will be 20 000 or more people at the game tomorrow night sure weren’t we bringing 3 or 4 thousand to FBD games and double that to league matches home and away surely a few thousand Rossies will travel. You can be sure James Horan isn’t listening to David Brady id be happy with a one point win and no injuries
Great to see that latest score come up on the Aul feed. Our successful underage teams always seem to know how to score goals aplenty .
David Brady is certainly a concern but he has had to eat a fair share of humble pie. I especially remember him back in 2011 before we played Galway in semi. Now granted we had just escaped London by the skin of our teeth but David totally and utterly wrote us off Hope it doesn’t work in reverse tomorrow Would definitely expect in the region of 20000 tomorrow Lots of Mayo people who live outside the county may not travel home for league games but are usually well up and on the move for championship
I would expect a crowd in the region of 22k providing the Rossie’s show up. It would be a much better spectacle without the shawl. Either way I expect a win. Best wishes to the team and management. Delighted for Evan, Darren, and Michael.
Official attendence for the League match’s on a rotten night, when you could easily catch Phenomeua for the first round of the league was in excess of 13K if memory serves me correctly…. That Blue and Yellow Bus would bring a thousand people if only the bus parked up… close to McHale Park…. I hope that the Rossies remember where to park the Bus (ie on Tarmac) the Tribesmen have a habit of Parking the Bus around the Mayo 45… With the surface so prestine, we don’t want any Tyre tracks on the grass…. And 30K turned up only to be disappointed with a parked Bus last year… open football that we associate with both Mayo and the Rossies will surely attract the crowd!
What’s the score in the U17 game
Mayo ahead by 21 pts in minor match.
Where’s the aul feed Sean Burke…. I’m not a Twitter man but curious.
Mayo every time
Looking forward to it . Will be a proper championship game with plenty of intensity. Hoping for a 5/6 pt win but I am slightly worried about our free takers …………
There will be between 20-25k at it imo. Closer to 25k. Certainly more than 15k!
Good stuff.
Fulltime 4-14 to 0-5
Full time Mayo 4-14 Roscommon 5pts.
We were way out ahead from 15 mins onwards.
Minor results –
Mayo 4-14 Roscommon 0-05
Galway 0-15 Sligo 1-10
That’s some score from Mayo. Hope our senior team have the same drive and scoring potential… just not too much too early. We don’t want to spook other teams!
Mayo looking good for the U17 Connacht title. Galway who was meant to be the biggest challengers are struggling with just a 2 point win over Sligo at home and lost to Roscommon last night. Sligo next up for Mayo Markievicz Park
Great score racked up by the minors tonight. Obviously some things working out good at underage.
Looking forward to the game tomorrow. Would be expecting a crowd of 20k plus. Best of luck to all especially Evan, Darren and Michael. The more lads knocking the lights out the better. Mayo by four!
Not many gave me a chance to voice my opinion when I said this team was serious and will be there there abouts this year
That’s a strong enough nothing special but not bad roscommon team and we absolutely tore them to bits
What a talented young lad Frank irwin is
Rory Morrin pace strength and pure footballing ability
Ciaran mylett lightning fast reminds me of a young ciaran mc
Paul heneghan can take on anyone and a great point scorer
Thornton is a talented young lad aswell
Midfield pairing is strongest I’ve seen mayo put out at minor in a long time
Aidan cos really does marshal that defense so well really is gonna go onto big things in a mayo Jersey
Gret stuff from our minor lads….about time we started doing well at this grade again.
As for Brady…he should have a muzzle out in him…a clown.
Great minor result- here’s hoping for a big crowd tomorrow. Decent weather, home game, connaught championship- cant see a good reason for anyone to stay at home for this.
Brilliant performance from minors this evening.excellent kick passing and skill levels and great work rate.
Well to to everyone involved in the mayo way something needed to be done and county board deserve praise for acting.
A crowd of 15k at a league game is actual a crowd of 22 – 23 k bums on seats as under 16 years supporters are not counted in the official figures. In the stands on a Saturday night the under 16’s make up a sizable portion of the crowd. I am not sure how it is counted for Championship game.
Good win for Tomas and his team well done to all. I would’nt be getting carried away with what is just a challenge game. as long as they can make the final in Connacht would be a great start.
How is it a challenge game ? It’s a championship match , i don’t follow what you mean by that line .
[Deleted].
Im looking to get in contact with mayo messi. How can i reach you!?
Quietman – if Mayomessi is okay with this, I can put you in touch directly via email.
Tut, tut, Backdoorsam – that’s a clear case of playing the man not the ball. Not allowed on here, as well you know.
Ideal willie joe thanks you.have my email
I find it a little bit sad that the launch of the live televised football is not shown on Irish TV.
160 euros for the TV liscence, and yet one of our national passtimes is kicking off on another channel. I think this wrong and a mistake. The 1st live televised game of the championship should have been shown on Rte.
It’s estimated that the attendance later on in the day for the Mayo game will equal or exceed the attendance that will attend the Dublin match.
Dublin’s match is part of a double header, so 4 counties make up that attendance.
For a team touted as the best ever and starting their campaign to be the 1st ever to win 5 in a row, a county with 10 times the population of Mayo, and yet, the attendance for that double header could well be below our own attendance. That begs alot of questions.
Football can and should be a great spectacle. The buzz from been a Mayo fan never ever diminishes. We love our football and I believe this will never change.
While I’m very dissapointed that the 1st televised football match is not available to everyone, or anyone who hasn’t forked out for Sky Sports, and I’m bewildered that the Dubs might have less fans cheering them on than ourselves, I’m just happy I’m from the greatest County in our Country.
May the football always set the Mayo hearts racing and may we triumph this evening against the Rossies. Hon yea boyos.
Quietman – I have your email (it’s not visible to anyone else when you post a comment but I can see it) but I need his say-so first before connecting you directly.
Best of luck to the young people doing their exams hope they all do well,enjoy your wedding Willie Joe and thank you for the information we get get and perhaps take for granted but you put such a lot of time and effort into it,as for David Brady i expect he will be proved correct ,I believe that we will win easily by ten or more
Championship Revellino has arrived. I love it!!!